Ohio State Buckeyes Defense Reveals Prep For 'Elusive' Oregon Ducks' Dillon Gabriel

The Ohio State Buckeyes are preparing to face the the Oregon Ducks in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff. What did Buckeyes defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau say about Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel?

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end JT Tuimoloau (44) and cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. (24) celebrate in the second half at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. / Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ahead of the Oregon Ducks' matchup with Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, Buckeyes defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau spoke to the media about Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel and the challenges of stopping him and the Oregon offense in the College Football Playoff.

"Dillon’s obviously a really elusive guy," said Tuimoloau. "What makes him so tough to play against, he's very wise. I mean, he’s been in the game and he knows what to do. He's a very talented quarterback, a left-handed quarterback. He's very smart. He doesn’t really take too many chances. He knows what he wants to do, and he goes through his reads really well."

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end JT Tuimoloau (44) and cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. (24) celebrate in the second half at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. / Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Against Ohio State in October, Gabriel completed 23 of 34 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 32 yards on four carries for a touchdown in the winning effort.

The Buckeyes are leaning on the experience of previously facing Gabriel, attempting to make the Oregon quarterback more uncomfortable in the Rose Bowl than he was in Autzen Stadium earlier in the season.

"He's a really smart quarterback, really, really experienced player. So he's able to move around the pocket really well. So it's going to be our job to really give them different looks and really give him a tough time in the pocket. And we can't make him comfortable. We can't allow him to sit back and just make a pick up on our defense," said Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon.

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Ohio State's defense did not register a sack against Gabriel and the Ducks offensive line in the regular season matchup. In the 24-17 win over Tennessee, the Buckeyes defensive line totaled four sacks, Tuimoloau leading the charge with two of his own.

Buckeyes defensive coordinator Jim Knowles was asked about the evolution of his defense over the season.

"There's no panic. If we give up a play or something negative happens, there's no panic," said Knowles. "Guys know how to fix things. There's a lot of communication back and forth. You know, there's a lot of resolve. To do whatever it takes to to win the game no matter what happens during that game. Our guys don't flinch."

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel carries the ball as the No. 3 Oregon Ducks host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The regular season matchup between Oregon and Ohio State has been listed as one of the best games of the year, and much is being made about the rematch. For the Buckeyes, it's a chance for revenge, but Knowles is more focused on the process.

"You always hope for a second shot when you don't do well. I mean, that's life. You know, a lot of times you don't get them. So we have a chance to do better and be better. But in terms of the week-to-week process, I think, when you have a team that's together with veteran leadership, the week-to-week process stays the same. No matter who we're playing the point has always been for us to be at our best," said Knowles.

After giving up 32 points in the loss to Oregon, the Ohio State defense has allowed an average of 11.7 points over the past seven games, including the win over Tennessee. The Oregon offense has averaged 37 points per game in the seven games since beating Ohio State, including 45 over Penn State in the Big Ten Championship.

Which one will give in the Rose Bowl?

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